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Tabs appear either automatically or manually defined by the user.
Please note that tabs access folders containing entries of interest. Names of tabs and folders are the same; and hence for all intents and purposes, tabs and folders may be treated and in fact used interchangeably in this part of the documentation.
Automatic tabs are those which are programmed built-in with the software applications. Please note that these tabs are likewise automatically hidden if there is not yet any entry available for display. These tabs may neither be created, modified, nor deleted by the user.
While the programmers have lattitude as to what may be included, two most common kind of tabs built in are as follows:
If a software application can handle two document types, this tab appears to allow for the creation of a blank document of any type available.
All recent files accessed appear as entry under any one of these tabs. One or more document types may be handled by a software application. The programmer may provide separate recent file tabs for each or some type of document, usually associated with a particular set of extensions. A catch-all recent file tab for unspecified types of documents may also be provided.
The tab header section may be customized by the user. There are several types of tab which can be created to serve different purposes. User-defined tabs may also be modified or even deleted at anytime after creation. They may not be hidden.
To create and define a tab, please right-click any tab and select Add from the menu. Please note that sometimes a tab may not be available. To make one tab available for right-clicking create a new document or access an existing one, and save them. The last action should create an entry under one recent file tab.
To delete a user-defined tab, please right-click the appropriate tab and select Delete from the menu.
To modify a user-defined tab, likewise please right-click the appropriate tab and select Properties from the menu.
Whether creating or modifying tabs, the Folder Properties Dialog appears providing the interface for the properties of the user-defined tab. The properties are as follows:
The name is mandatory and should be unique from the names of tabs already existing in the Tab Header Section. For easy recall or recognition, it is suggested to be derived from the type of folder and the suffixes it allows.
Three types of folder may be defined. Whatever type the folder is, the entries or files are filtered by the suffixes nominated from the list of available and added suffixes.
The folder contains files coming from the directory path, or its subdirectory, nominated in the Ordinary Files Path property. This type is further classified into three, discussed under the Ordinary Classes property:
The folder contains filtered files selected by the user. To select or update the list, please right-click the content list section when the appropriate special type tab has been selected and currently active.
When a file dialog is displayed to look for a new file, the initial directory path is the one nominated in the Ordinary Files Path property.
Recent file folders built in with the software application may group certain documents together. Also these built-in folders provide standard suffixes of document only. If the suffix attached by the user to a document is not standard, the latter will never be placed in the built-in folders.
This type is then defined to provide a recent file folder of the desired set of suffixes. Please note that these folders enjoy preference over the built-in ones. Between two user-defined recent file folders, the entry goes to the one created first.
This is relevant only for ordinary type folders. There are three classes:
Only filtered files found in the nominated directory are included.
Aside from filtered files found in the nominated directory, all immediate abridged subdirectories are included as well.
Abridgment is a process of simplifying navigation in the directory tree. The abridged directory tree is derived from the actual directory tree of computer storages.
To derive the abridged directory tree:
All files not accepted by the filter of suffixes are removed.
Folders in the directory may or may not contain filtered file; hence, some of these folders contain only subfolders or none at all. Empty folders are removed.
Folders containing only subfolders are likewise deleted; and in its place its subfolders. This process is repeated until all subfolders left must have its own set of filtered files, and possibly subfolders.
Abridgment, therefore, removes unnecessary elements of the tree. Users now no longer have to dig deep into the tree to locate a filtered file, like a treasure hunter. If a subfolder is present, it is certain to contain filtered files. Efficient navigation indeed.
If these immediate abridged subdirectories are double-clicked or selected, the corresponding folder is opened revealing the filtered files contained together with its own set of immediate abridged subdirectories, as well as all previous leading parent directories.
The folder contains filtered files coming from the nominated directory path as well as all the other filtered files from all subfolders directly or indirectly under it. No need to navigate.
The special type folder may be locked to prevent accidental change in the list. It may also be unlocked again to allow further change to take place. These actions are made possible through the appropriate check box for the Lock Special Files property.
The ordinary files path is relevant only for the ordinary type and special type of folders. To select or change the entry, please click the browse button associated with it. The file dialog will then be displayed to obtain the new path.
Suffixes are the three-letter extensions of files. Only files with suffix found in the selected list may be entered in the folder owning the list.
To add a suffix from the list:
Please enter text in the appropriate edit box using the following alternative formats:
*.suf1; *.suf2; ... ;*.sufk
.suf1; .suf2; ... ;.sufk
User-added suffixes which were not selected are automatically removed from the list.
4/13/2006, 1:24:02 PM
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